January 14, 2010

(Cary, NC) The Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church stopped its winter session which included deliberations about the earthquake in Malawi upon learning of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.  “We want the members of the AME Church in both Malawi and Haiti to know that your Church stands ready to mobilize with its partners (US AID, NGOs, American Red Cross and other faith bodies) to deliver humanitarian relief as quickly as possible,” declares Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, President of the Council of Bishops.

Our hearts are heavy and because of our connection, we have moved quickly to coordinate with fellow AMEs to answer the call to service.  The Department of Global Missions and the Presiding Bishops of both the 16th District (including Haiti) as well as the 20th District (including Malawi) along with SADA (the Service and Development Agency) are actively gathering information and we anxiously await reports of the plight of our brothers and sisters, and the extent of need.  We have begun prayers for the safety of all in the affected countries and for location of family members, and neighbors whose whereabouts are currently unknown.

We learned much from Hurricane Katrina and those lessons will guide us as we work in this new response.  In fact, the US government is contemplating the auction of the trailers manufactured for families in the gulf areas but never used or without a current need.  We urge President Obama to consider sending those trailers to Haiti, Malawi and the other affected regions along with the other relief supplies.

The Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, along with Bishop Sarah F. Davis, who is making arrangements to return to Haiti, and Bishop Julius McAllister, who is in Malawi stand in solidarity with the people of both countries.  The Council has begun fundraising efforts by donating funds from the sale of publication of an annual resource guide.  Even as we face economic hardships in the United States, your bishops urge and encourage all of the members of the AME Church to quickly respond by sending monetary donations so that the staff of the Richard Allen Health Clinic may continue to provide healthcare.   The schools in both countries may be shelter resources so our support is critically needed. It has received the support of the Dept of Global Witness, the Women’s Missionary Society, and expects to receive the support from other ministries of our international body.   Local congregations are urged to accept donations for the next two Sundays and forward as follows:

Donations for Disaster Relief can be mailed to:
Finance Department of the AME Church
1134 11th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001

or made electronically through this link: